CAUTION: Woman In Progress

I don't know why but this year I just wasn't really all that into Christmas. I know, I know, I did all the fussy decorations and the baking and all that. But in true confession style--I was phoning it in. I didn't feel it. I did those things because I knew they were expected. In reality? I think I'd have been happy leaving my tree in the box. And Christmas music? I think I listened to maybe four of my CD's and then only rarely. And not because I really wanted to but because I hoped it would push some of that elusive Christmas spirit into me. It didn't. Usually I'd have finished the majority of my Christmas shopping the first week in December. This year? I did a little bit of it when Mama and I went to Tupelo that first Friday of December. But the rest of it?  I put it off until the week before Christmas. I just wasn't into it. I think part of it was that I was just so worn out from the previous months of birthday parties, work and church stuff. And...

So yesterday I totally meant to share this pic with you: Because this was what Lyssa was doing after we finished the peanut clusters. She had some baking to do on her own. ;-) Why do I not have a photo of her helping with the peanut clusters? Well, there was the whole "two rowdy kids on my own" situation that blocked out all thoughts of cute photo ops. Do I regret the lack of photo? YES. She was so precious scooping out clumps of "chocolate soup" onto the wax paper. I will forever wish I had committed that memory to paper. Anyway, the two days following Baking Day 2011  were a complete snoozefest. Mostly because that's the way (uh-huh, uh-huh) I wanted it. The Devil Pup and I literally were complete bums. Seriously. I was so lazy I didn't even get up to take this picture. I just leaned over with the camera extended, my butt never leaving the opposite end of the couch. And, well, actually, I did get up long enough to bake another batch of cookie...

Well, ya'll, I'm BACK! And a happily glorious high calorie new year to you all! At this time, I'll ask you to buckle your safety belts, tuck in  all arms and legs and hair and prepare for a wild and highly photo-centric guide to "What Jana Did On Christmas Vacation, Part 1." Remember baking day ? Well, it almost didn't happen. Sis2 called me that morning not feeling well and said she may not come out. I was a little bit majorly bummed but after she did come I was maybe sorta kinda wishing she hadn't. She still didn't feel good and boy did her mood tell it. She finally just went and laid down so I was left mixing peanut clusters and supervising two rowdy kids. Alone. Efan tried cleaning out my "china cabinet" and Lyssa had to help spoon out the peanut clusters which took FOREVER long enough so that I had to put the bowl of chocolate peanuts back in the microwave to remelt the chocolate. Funny story related to that, though...When they fir...

Happy New Year!

I purchased these two birdhouses for the sisters when Mama and I went shopping at Hobby Lobby . The one on the left went to Sis2 and the one on the right, went to Sis1.  You may not can tell, but I altered the one on the right. It used to look like this: But Sis1 is getting away from burgandy so I just panted over the burgandy parts with some craft paint. I think I like it. Sis2's has a neat feature on it... It opens up in the back! I can see me using it as a bank, of sorts. I have a rule that when I come across a dollar bill in my wallet, it gets tucked away in a "fun money jar". But wouldn't it be neat to stuff it in a birdhouse instead? You know, if you don't intend to actually stick the thing outside. ;-) I'll let you know when I get back "in office" if the sisters liked them.

It was late and she was tired of me trying to wrestle her into a Christmas portrait with me.

Luke 2:1-20 1And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be taxed. 2(And this taxing was first made when Cyrenius was governor of Syria.) 3And all went to be taxed, every one into his own city. 4And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judaea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem; (because he was of the house and lineage of David:) 5To be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child. 6And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered. 7And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn. 8And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. 9And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they...

Christmas shopping, that is. When the above photo was taken, I thought I only had one gift left to purchase--BIL's. He's hard to shop for so I decided to pick him up some gormet cheese straws at a local gift shop. Easy peasy. But then, when I got ready to wrap Mama's (the scarf, two sets of gloves and the mini-umbrella) I decided that it looked rather skimpy in comparison to Daddy's. (The Skil Power cutter.) So Monday evening, after work, Mama and I popped in to Wal-Mart to pick up Granny's gift and while Mama was doing that, I picked out a new pea coat for her. It's double breasted and a soft gray fabric. I didn't snap of photo of it, unfortunately, but trust me--it's nice. And it was on sale. When she saw me with the bag, I told her it was a sweater I'd bought for myself. hehehe The rest of the stuff pictured are for adorable toddlers in my life. Except for that wooden plane pieces and the bear claw tool. The plane is for BIL the bear claw...

My, what big ears I have!

So last Friday I reclaimed my trusty ol' three footer from the library and took it home. Friday night I dressed that baby up and sat her down in my bedroom as I've done for the past two years.  Libby, of course, was bored with the subject almost as soon as I got started. But, I got'er done anyway. New to the tree this year are the addition of the smaller red and gold balls and the star topper. Oh, and the red bird perched at the top. I always try to coordinate this tree with my bedroom colors and this year, I finally got them all! :)

Well, obviously I'm actually at home today and nowhere NEAR a computer with Internet access, so I can't, like, show you what we're ACTUALLY baking. (Maybe someday wifi will come to my neck of the woods...) BUT, I can show you the fruits of my shopping labor aka what we're baking with . Sis2 and I met up Saturday for some Christmas shopping and put our lists together of the items we'd need. Last year we were so disorganized and ended up having to send Mama to the store to pick up what we needed. That ate up most of our day. Since this year we're doing all the baking at my tiny little country house where the nearest grocery store is a good twenty minutes away I took the lead, cracked the whip and got this crap organized. In case you can't tell what all is going on up there, we have (starting from the very back): Fruity O's (off brand fruit loops), a huge bag of sugar--14lbs? (I think), two jars of dry roasted peanuts, a can of whole almonds, powd...

It's that time of year again. The last day of the year for me to yammer in ya'lls ears about whatever. Fret, not, though, dear friends. Unlike previous years,  I fully intend to scedule a few posts to keep ya'll entertained while I'm away. But let's get on with it...the year end post. I can't say that 2011 has been all that terrible. For all the evil in the world and all the natural disasters that occurred, I and those I love most have been extremely blessed. Good health and new " wealth ". Sis1 and her family were spared the devestation of the Tuscaloosa tornadoes back in April. All my "babies" have continued to grow up healthy and wonderful. I was able to finish some major projects in the house despite a knee that would have loved to have seen me dead. Paw-paw H. turned 80 and is still kickin' despite a recent galbladder surgery. I have not lost my mind. Well, not completely, anyway. Yes, 2011 hasn't been bad at all. Not wit...

It's super fun to wrap gifts with the Devil Pup. She's sooooooo helpful. Anyone need to borrow her?

Sometimes I feel like all I do is listen to other women gripe about their husbands. All the way to work this morning I got to hear Mama ranting over Daddy. Then at first break E and A spent the whole time griping about THEIR husbands.  I'm not even married and I can sympathize with them over the butt-ish behavior of men because...I HEAR ABOUT THEM ALL THE TIME. Thank GOD I'm not married. On a related note, I'll be baking cookies this weekend. How is that related? Stress relief. Yes. Stress relief from other people's marriages . On an unrelated note, us girls all went to the just off campus Chinese joint for lunch today. Heard said around the table: "I'll sit all over your cooties for hours ." "I'm going to eat your cookie now." I may or may not have said at least one of those things followed by, "That didn't sound right at all." Then on the way back they made fun of me for saying "totally." Good times....

I remembered!! This is the recipe for the coconut/oat bars that I brought to work for our "dessert social" Tuesday.  via Nov./Dec 2010 issue of Unwrapped--A supplement to Mississippi Magazine  In case you can't read that... 1 stick margarine (I used salted butter because it's what I had) 1/3 cup oil (I used canola...again, because it's what I had.) 1 cup sugar 1 cup light brown sugar 2 eggs 1 Tbsp. vanilla extract (I used vanilla bean paste because...YOU GUESSED IT...It's what I had!) 1 cup coconut 1.5 cups oats (I used old fashioned oats--oatmeal) 1 cup all-purpose flour 1 tsp. salt Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9x13-inch pan with nonstick baking spray. With mixer, cream margarine, oil and sugars. Add eggs, one at a time, and blend well. Add vanilla. Stir in coconut, oats, flour, and salt, and beat well. Pour batter into pan and smooth top with spoon. Bake for 30-35 minutes. Cool and cut into bars or shapes. Yield: 24(ish--that...

It's all Christmas's fault that I... ...have taken a long lunch every day this week, plus last Friday. And that I ate out all four of those days. Christmas makes people need to get together to EAT. Christmas is about Jesus and food. Apparently. ...baked two batches of coconut oatmeal bars (Recipe tomorrow, maybe. If I remember to bring it.) and kept one batch at home to eat and brought one to work for yesterday's dessert social. The one at home is halfway gone and I baked it Saturday night. It was a 9x13 pan full. Now reduced to half that. Probably LESS than half that, if I'm being entirely honest. ...have not vacuumed the bedroom carpet in TWO MONTHS. Yes. You can blame decorating for Christmas on chores you've neglected since the middle of October even though you didn't actually start decorating until the first weekend in December. I said so, that's why. ...have four pounds of sausage defrosting in my fridge next to four bags of preshredded cheese....

...got to eat lunch with two of the three most awesome kids in the entire world  universe. We ate at Chic-fil-A and then came back to the "libary" and rode the "alligator" aaaaaaalllll the way up to the top floor where all the Max and Ruby books are kept. We picked out a TON of books. ...marvelled at the "kid in a candy story" reaction from Lyssa when we entered the juvenile section. "I want this one." "Ooo, look at this one." "I haven't read that one!" "Can we get this one to?" It warms an old aunts heart to see a complete and unabashed love of books from her. ...received an open mouthed kiss from a two-year-old boy. It was...slobbery. Sweet. But slobbery. ...marched across the drill field holding a four-year-old girl's hand while we giggled. ...got to laugh out loud while reading Sis1's email about Emmy's new "attitude problem." Let's just say, if we reap what we sow, Sis1...

Because ya'll ain't tired of that crap, yet. ;-) So, Saturday I felt a little less like death (after breakfast and a nap) and got busy finishing(ish) the Christmas decorations. You know, by the time I'm actually done it'll be time to take them back down again. So ya'll? Just to warn you? I may celebrate Christmas clear into Spring. Now, as for what all else I done gal-darn done did... I "finished" the dining room? What all else did I do, you ask? Well here. Let me show you it. I put up the garland over the doorway to the kitchen. (A five minute job with a 85% chance for injury--a step stool was involved.) And can I just say that clip on poinsettias are DA BOMB even if nobody says "da bomb" anymore? Because they totally are. Seeing that pic makes me realize how badly I need to clean off my fridge. It's a clutter of stuff I don't even know what all. Also, I did this! Which is only vaguely different from last year . ...